Body content

How Vulnerable Are You To Stress?

Mark each statement from 1 (always applies to you) to 5 (never applies to you), according to how accurate each statement is in describing your current lifestyle.

Always True

Often True

Sometimes True

Seldom True

Never True

1.

I eat at least one hot, balanced meal a day

2.

I get 7 to 8 hours of sleep at least 4 nights a week

3.

I have at least 1 person who lives nearby from whom I can ask a favour

4.

I exercise to the point of perspiration at least twice a week

5.

I do not smoke

Always True

Often True

Sometimes True

Seldom True

Never True

6.

I drink fewer than five alcoholic drinks a week

7.

I am the appropriate weight for my height

8.

I drink fewer than two cups of coffee (or tea or cola) a day

9.

I have a network of friends, family and acquaintances on whom I can rely

10.

I confide with at least one person in my network about personal matters

Always True

Often True

Sometimes True

Seldom True

Never True

11.

I am generally in good health

12.

I am able to speak openly about my feelings when angry, stressed or worried

13.

I do something for fun at least once a week

14.

I recognise stress symptoms

15.

I take quiet time for myself during the day

Always True

Often True

Sometimes True

Seldom True

Never True

16.

I have an income adequate to meet my basic expenses

17.

I spend less than an hour each day traveling to and from work

18.

I am calm when I am kept waiting/stuck in traffic/late for an appointment?

19.

I have regular calm conversations with the people I live with about domestic problems, e.g., chores, money and daily living issues

20.

I never try to do everything myself

Always True

Often True

Sometimes True

Seldom True

Never True

21.

I never race through a day

22.

I never complain about time wasted and the past

23.

I feel organized and in control

24.

I am able to organize my time effectively

25.

I recognise when I am not coping well under pressure

You have scored below 5

Congratulations! you are a calm and relaxed individual who seems to enjoy a good lifestyle. There seem to be few hassles in your life and you do not seem vulnerable to stress. Your lifestyle is such that stress has a minimal impact on your wellbeing. You are managing your lifestyle effectively and efficiently. Make sure, though, that you are not trying so hard to avoid problems that you are shying away from challenges.

TRY THIS NOW:Listen to your body
When you are tired, hungry or thirsty, do something about it. Also recognise stress and anger in your day and counter it immediately with a brisk walk, ten minutes in deep relaxation or whatever works for you.

You have scored between 5 and 25

You have life in fairly good control. Your score indicates that you do still have a vulnerability to stress. This is an average score and indicates normal levels of stress. Your lifestyle is such that your body's "shock absorbers" can deal with stress in a healthy non-aggressive way.

Even so, watch out for potential hotspots. Come to our Eventbrite evening workshop and learn what your stress triggers are. If you have a hectic lifestyle that could potentially cause you stress, if technology drives the pace of your life you need to come to our Eventbrite. Or try our Self-Hypnosis weekend course. You may wish to use our On Line Health Assessment, Stress Coaching Tool and Relaxation Audio Programme to ensure you get the support to cope with whatever life throws at you. Have a look at our Feel Karma webshop for products that can help you relax and de-stress. Visit our factsheets area and download the various free books and resources to give you the support you need to maintain your positive results.

Think carefully about the lifestyle choices you make, and take time to relax every day. Think of what changes you can make to your lifestyle to ensure that you are managing your stress.

Work on the choices and habits that could still be causing you some unnecessary stress in your life. Seek alternative ways to complete tasks that are currently causing stress or anxiety. Invest in some relaxation music and spend time in a peaceful environment.

TRY THIS NOW:Get enough sleep.
Sleep is essential for the body to function properly. Sleeping pills are not necessary if you change your life-style. If you've habitually skimped on sleep, you probably won't even remember how it feels to wake up fully rested. Give it a go for a week and see if there's a difference in how you perform during the day.

Avoid nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and refined sugar products.
They are all stimulants, so therefore they cannot calm you down. If you're stressed, steer clear of them and keep yourself well-hydrated by drinking water instead.

You have scored between 25 and 55

You are approaching the danger zone. You have a vulnerability to stress, and the higher your score the more serious the problem is. You may well be suffering stress related symptoms, your relationships may be strained and you may not be operating in your most resourceful state.

This score indicates that there are times when your life becomes extremely stressful. It would be useful to look at your lifestyle and identify what things cause you stress. Then you can work out how to reduce their impact.

Come to our Eventbrite evening workshop and learn what your stress triggers are. If your stress is a result of a hectic lifestyle, busy career and technology driving the pace of your life you probably need to come to our Eventbrite. Or try our Self-Hypnosis weekend course. You may wish to use our On Line Health Assessment, Stress Coaching Tool and Relaxation Audio Programme. Have a look at our Feel Karma webshop for products that can help you relax and de-stress. Visit our factsheets area and download the various free books and resources to give you the support you need right now!

Think carefully about the lifestyle choices you make, and take time to relax every day. Think of what changes you can make to your lifestyle to ensure that you are managing your stress.

TRY THIS NOW:Work off stress with physical activity.
Pressure or anger releases adrenaline in the body. Exercise helps to reduce it, and produces 'good mood' substances in the brain. So go for a brisk walk around the block when you feel tense, and try some regular exercise after work.

Learn how to say 'no'.
Simple, but effective. Where a 'no' is the appropriate response, say it without guilt.

Manage your time.
Take one thing at a time. Don't overdo things. Create time buffers to deal with unexpected emergencies. And, recognise that your day to day problems and responsibilities are the things that cause stress in your life. Tackle them with a system that works for you.

A simple method is to:

List the things that you need to do.

Put them in order of importance

Decide what you need to do yourself, and what can be delegated.

Decide which needs doing today, next week or next month

Decide what doesn't need doing after all, and drop it from the list..

Your mountain of tasks is now in some sort of order. This should help. The list used to control you. Now you control it. And you've lost the stress that it caused you.

Desk Yoga allows you to use these techniques in almost any situation - sitting in your office or car, travelling on the bus. They are so discreet, only you will know you're doing them.

Alternate nostril breathing
Fold your index and middle finger (2nd and 3rd fingers) towards your palm on your right hand. Then place your left thumb under your right nostril to 'tap' it up. Inhale from the left nostril to the count of four. Gently pinch the left nostril with the right ring finger (4th finger) to the count of 16. And release your thumb and exhale through the right nostril for 8. Now inhale through the right nostril for 4. Hold for 16. Exhale through the left nostril for 8. Repeat for several minutes.

This exercise balances the brain's serotonin, the chemical that regulates happiness. The pattern of inhalation (4, 16, 8) means that the air is pushed down to the bottom of the lungs and more toxins are released on exhalation. You will feel relaxed after this exercise, particularly in the shoulder area, and may experience heightened perception.

Wipe off practice
If you feel people's negativity clinging to you, just wipe it away. Use energetic sweeping motions with your hands as if you were dusting yourself down to wipe it off your arms, torso, legs and especially off your head. As you wipe, say to yourself: 'I am getting rid of "XXX"'.

You have scored over 55

EMERGENCY!!! Your health and wellbeing is in serious danger! You have potentially a lot of stress in your life but few mechanisms to help you cope with it. You must stop now and immediately rethink how you are living, change your attitudes and pay careful attention to your diet, exercise and relaxation. This score indicates that you are experiencing damaging amounts of stress that if left unchecked will seriously affect your health, relationships and work efficiency. You will need to take charge of your lifestyle now. Learn to prioritise, delegate and to say 'no'. Step back and take time for yourself and ask what it is you want from life.

TRY THIS NOW:If you're ill, rest.
Don't just carry on regardless. Working will tire the body and prolong the illness. So recognise that you have limits and don't carry on as if you were firing on all cylinders.

Try some yoga
Yoga has been used for 5,000 years to tone the body, boost the immune system and calm the mind. Most importantly, it unlocks inner happiness, lifting your mood and leaving you feeling light and energised.

Desk Yoga allows you to use these techniques in almost any situation - sitting in your office or car, travelling on the bus. They are so discreet, only you will know you're doing them.

Alternate nostril breathing
Fold your index and middle finger (2nd and 3rd fingers) towards your palm on your right hand. Then place your left thumb under your right nostril to 'tap' it up. Inhale from the left nostril to the count of four. Gently pinch the left nostril with the right ring finger (4th finger) to the count of 16. And release your thumb and exhale through the right nostril for 8. Now inhale through the right nostril for 4. Hold for 16. Exhale through the left nostril for 8. Repeat for several minutes.

This exercise balances the brain's serotonin, the chemical that regulates happiness. The pattern of inhalation (4, 16, 8) means that the air is pushed down to the bottom of the lungs and more toxins are released on exhalation. You will feel relaxed after this exercise, particularly in the shoulder area, and may experience heightened perception.

Wipe off practice
If you feel people's negativity clinging to you, just wipe it away. Use energetic sweeping motions with your hands as if you were dusting yourself down to wipe it off your arms, torso, legs and especially off your head. As you wipe, say to yourself: 'I am getting rid of "XXX"'.